Duggan Family from Kilworth, Fermoy, Cork

Local volunteer contacted.

Kathryn,

I live in Fermoy and am very familiar with Kilworth. If you fill out the Meet and Greet request form (https://irelandxo.com/meet-and-greet), the request will get to me and I would be delighted to show you around the area. In the meantime, I will make a few inquiries about the Duggan family and I will get back to you.

Best wishes, Kieran

Hello Kieran! Wow, that would be wonderful 😊 . I'll fill out the Meet and Greet request form asap.

Best Regards,

Kathryn 

Kathryn,

I found Edmond Duggan in Graigue townland in 1848. He was described as a 'mountain farmer'. This was in the House Books that were prepared as part of the work for Griffith's Valuation. The original records has a line through it and the word 'down' written in. I am not sure when the original record was taken but it was revised in 1948, I think. Alternatively, the original record was in 1848 and at some future date the 'down' was written. I will send you the record at a later date. Either way, by 1852, in the Griffith's Valuation, Edmond had moved to Kilworth village. You might ask, how do I know that this is the correct Edmond. Firstly, there were no other Duggans in Kilworth at that time. Secondly, and most importantly, the 1851 census for Kilworth exists. In the village of Kilworth (main street) there was Edmond Duggan, aged 60,  Catherine Duggan, aged 50, and their daughter, Mary, aged 15. Edmond was described as a 'thatcher' (putting roofs on houses). The ages are not quite the same as the ages on the death records, but it is fairly normal for ages not to match. I don't know which dates are correct. I did look for birth records (for children) and a marriage record, but I couldn't find any. I will continue to look for records and ask a few friends if they know anything about the family.

Best wishes, Kieran

Thankyou so much Kieran, what you have found is amazing. I really appreciate you spending your time on this for us. 

Could you please tell me where Graigue Townland is? 

"Mountain farmer" sounds like hard work! Do you know what the "down" would refer to to? Would it mean smaller hills rather than mountains? Sorry for my ignorance. 

It's interesting that by the 1851 cencus Edmu/ond is now working as a Thatcher! On his death certificate it says he was a Labourer - I guess that could be many different things.

Would it help if I sent you Edmund's and Catherine's death certificates? The informant on Catherine's was her husband Edmund. The imformant on Edmund's was a Margaret Duggan, but their relationship isn't specified. I don't know who she was - I guess possibly a sister, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law , or unmarried daughter...

So interesting about them in the 1851 cencus, especially Mary that you have said was 15 - so this was 8 years before Mary ended up in Geelong, Australia marrying her French-born husband Guillame Maros (William Morris)! I wonder if they could understand each other's accents (or even both speak English?!?).

I look forward to hearing about your further enquiries on our family, when you have the chance, and thak you once again for your efforts, it's wonderful!

Best Regards,

Kathryn

Kathryn

Graigue townland is very close to Kilworth village on the north and slightly east side. Hope this link works https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kilworth,+Co.+Cork/@52.1947337,-8.255…

Mountain farmer would indicate that he was farming mountainous land, and indeed there is high ground in Graigue. 'Down' would indicate that the house was knocked or uninhabitable. I will explain more on that when we meet.

Thanks, I have copies of the death records.

Yes, Kilworth is one of the few places in the country for which the 1851 census records exist.

Best wishes, Kieran